Oman braces for more rain as low pressure system continues

@lakshmioman -

The National Multi- Hazard Early Warning Centre has issued third weather alert for Monday night and early Tuesday morning due to the expected heavy thundershowers associated with downdraft fresh winds and hail over the governorates of Al Sharqiyah North, Al Sharqiyah South, Muscat, and parts of Al Batinah South.

Forecast indicate a continuation of heavy thunderstorms accompanied by active winds and hailstorms likely tonight and early tomorrow morning, concentrated in the governorates of Al Sharqiyah North, Al Sharqiyah South, Muscat, Al Dakhiliyah and parts of the Al Batinah South Governorate, with rain ranging between 20-60 mm, and sporadic rainfall continuing.

The Ministry of Education said schools will remain shut on Tuesday in the Sultanate of Oman except in the governorates of Dhofar, Musandam, and Al Wusta. Studies will resume on Wednesday, February 14.

Meanwhile, the Consumer Protection Authority has prepared a comprehensive action plan to deal with the effects of the weather condition, which includes forming teams to cover the markets in two shifts (morning and evening), and a team to receive and follow up on consumer reports, and communicate with various commercial institutions to ensure the availability of goods and market stability. Businesses were told not to exploit the current situation.

The authority called on suppliers and merchants to adhere to consumer protection laws and legislations and not to exploit the current situation to raise prices and disrupt market stability.

The Civil Aviation Authority called on everyone to exercise caution during thunderstorms and not to cross wadis and to avoid low-lying areas, and not to go to the sea during the period.

A number of roads in Al Dhahirah Governorate were cut off, namely Ibri road towards Al Rustaq, Al Sinainah main street, Al Khubayb towards Yanqul, Al Fateh towards Al Buraimi, Ibri towards Suhar, Al Marri towards Al Buraimi, and Al Dhuwaihriyah road towards Dhank.

The Wilayat of Yanqul recorded the highest amount of rain 135.6 mm at the weather monitoring stations of the Civil Aviation Authority, while Al Buraimi recorded 76.8, Suhar 56, and Saiq 40.6.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health rescheduled more than 25,000 appointments that include visits to outpatient clinics, non-emergency appointments and operations, laboratory tests and other health service appointments that were postponed due to the current climatic conditions. The Ministry of Health affirmed that patients and their safety top its priority. The ministry also seeks to meet patients’ health, preventive and therapeutic needs.

2 children washed away in Al Rustaq

Three children were washed away in Wadi Bani Ghafir in the Wilayat of Al Rustaq, and search and rescue teams from the Civil Defence Department and Ambulance in the Al Batinah South Governorate are at the site to deal with the accident. Two children were found dead, and the teams are continuing the search for the third child. Rescue teams also saved one person when a vehicle with two people drifted in Wadi Ghayya in Yanqul and the search for the other person is under way.